A
Access
An access serves as a link to an entity. It consists of a name and an access path.
Access path
A classified set of data for an entity required for defining an access path to this entity.
Administrator
Type of software engineer with administrative authorities on other software engineers.
Application area
Functional subset of an information system.
Assign (to)
To establish a link between two objects of different types.
Associate (to)
To establish a link of whatever kind.
Associate (Translation manager)
To group together several constants with a view to producing a global translation (e.g. a long sentence split into several constants in an Adelia layout).
Associated correction environment
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Associated field
Name of the variable used in data flow to automatically associate an origin with a layout field.
Attach (to)
To establish a link between an object and the current application area.
B
Basic graphical object
Basic graphical object which is used during the Visual Adelia window layout design.
C
Cardinality
Minimum and maximum numbers of occurrences of the relationship to which each one of the individual's occurrences must be attached.
Comment (to)
To associate a documentation text to an object.
Conceptual
The conceptual level corresponds to the definition of the company's objectives:
It describes the latters via object classes and behavioral rules.
It translates the objectives selected and the constraints accepted by the company.
Conceptual data model (CDM)
Model giving a static representation of the data handled in the information system. It is used to define the vocabulary relating to the studied activity and to translate certain management rules by representing the connections existing between the data.
Conceptual entity
Collection of properties in which the organization is interested and which are endowed with a distinct and identifiable existence. A conceptual entity is identified by one or more conceptual properties called "keys".
Conceptual property
Smallest element of information handled by the organization. Elementary part of the information system.
Copy (to)
To define an object by copying an existing object.
Correction
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Correction cycle
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Correction environment
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Correction manager
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Correction validation
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Create (to)
To define a new object in the repository. If the creation is carried out from an application area, a link is established between the object and the current application area.
D
Data dictionary
Set of elementary data which constitute the information system.
Data environment
Set of data which can be accessed in a processing model.
It consists of:
all file fields defined by the views used by the model,
layout variables the model refers to,
work variables specific to the model.
Data flow
Description of the different information flows from the database to the layout, and from the layout to the database.
Also a description of how these flows are managed.
Data type
Data class defining a set of characteristics common to conceptual or logical properties (format, initial values, softkey process, etc.).
DB script
Text file that describes the database structure and is used to create or update a database.
De-assign (to)
To delete a link between objects of different types.
Default correction
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Define (to)
To create or modify an object.
Delete (to)
To delete an object from the repository. The deletion of an object from the repository is not possible unless the object is free in the repository (no attachment to application areas).
The deletion of an object from an application area is not possible unless the object is not attached to other application areas.
Dependency
Qualifying a binary relationship (dimension 2), defined with cardinalities "x,n - 1,1" ("x" can take the values 0 or 1) and having a specific translation at the logical level.
Detach (to)
To delete a link between an object and the current application area. The object remains present in the repository and the links existing between the object and its other attachment areas are not modified.
Development environment
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Display (to)
To display the characteristics of an object.
Dissociate (to)
To delete the association between two or more constants. See "Associate" (Translation manager).
Dummy
Qualifying a conceptual or logical property which does not exist at the physical level (AS/400 database).
Dummy field
Data item built from one or more entity data items.
A dummy field can be either a subfield of another data item, or a data-structure regrouping other data.
Dummy fields are unique to the Adelia language.
Dummy property
Adelia dummy property (conceptual or logical). This can be a structure property, a sub-element property or a calculation property.
E
Entity
Set of data having the same origin.
A database entity corresponds to a physical file.
Entry point
Program that lets you enter an application. For example, the entry point may be an icon on the desktop, a command, or an option from the Start menu.
Exclusive
Qualifying a management rule which can only be assigned to a single object.
Extract (to)
To catalog all the constants in a program to enable their translation.
F
File format
Description of a file record.
The format of a physical file gathers all data which constitute the corresponding entity.
A logical file can consist of multiple formats, each one working on all or part of the data of the entity that it relates to.
File glossary
Description of all database files which can be used from an environment.
Fill-in criterion
Method by which the data is read (sequential access, etc.).
Folder
Documentation folder made up from the definition, the description and the documentation of objects. A folder is structured into chapters and subchapters.
Formal
Qualifying a management rule expressed in the form of Adelia instructions.
Function
External program which can be used within arithmetic or alphanumeric expressions.
Functional integrity constraint
Dependence between two or several objects participating in a relationship. This dependence cannot be expressed by cardinalities.
G
Generate (to)
To translate a model to the lower abstraction level (from the Conceptual to the Logical, and from the Logical to the Physical).
Grant (to)
To grant authorities to a software engineer.
Guide file
Master file used to load a subfile.
Guide word
Symbolic name used in the Adelia language to describe:
a variable,
a view,
an external program,
a layout format.
H
Hold
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Hold for correction
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I
IBM logical property
IBM logical field.
Implicit management rule
Management rule whose activation is not explicit in the 4GL, but depends on the use of instructions affecting the database ("RE", "CR", "UP" and "DE"-class management rules).
Informal
Qualifying a management rule expressed in the form of free text.
Information
Elementary data item specified by a name and a definition.
It is mainly used to describe a dictionary field or a file field.
Installation
Group of programs that together enable an application to be installed (an application = a set of programs).
4GL Instruction
Instruction used in the Adelia Language.
Itemize (to)
To work with the components of an object.
J
Join entity
Logical view of a database involving several entities.
K
Key
Specific property of a conceptual entity which allows an occurrence of the entity to be identified in a unique manner.
Knowledge base
Environment in which Adelia objects or concepts are defined in order to be used as standards or references for user development environments.
L
Language (Translation manager)
Language used to translate constants.
Layout
Represents interactive functions (screen design) or output documents (report design).
- A screen layout can consist of various transactions.
- A report layout can consist of various reports.
- A Visual Adelia layout (or window) can consist of various tabs.
Layout format
For screen layouts: set of contiguous lines that can appear in one or more transactions.
For report layouts: set of contiguous lines that are printed simultaneously.
Level 1
Interactive processing: level 1 combines the screen sequencing description, and the aspects of initialization, verification and validation of data.
The complete description of a batch processing model (processing algorithm, control breaks, etc.) is at level 1.
Level 2
Interactive processing only: level 2 uses the level 1 prototype and integrates the data flow and the implicit management rules.
Logical
The logical level is essentially used for data in order to give them a representation that is compatible with the DBMS (Database Management System) used.
Logical data model (LDM)
Model providing a representation of data, compatible with the database management system used.
Logical entity
Set of logical properties.
Logical field
Data belonging to a specific logical file format and assembled from one or more data items of the corresponding physical file.
A logical field is a real file field.
Logical property
Property coming from the Conceptual Model or created at the logical level.
Logical server
Abstract identification of the database for Visual Adelia programs.
M
Macro-instruction
Configurable sequence of Adelia instructions, which can be reused in all processing models. This instruction sequence is not compiled. When the model is generated/compiled, the instructions are included in the Adelia model and compiled together with the whole program.
Management rule
Conceptual, organizational or technical translation of the objectives selected and the constraints accepted by the company.
When formal, and according to the class and type of objects to which they are assigned, the management rules are used in the Adelia programs.
Merge (Translation manager)
To combine several identical constants so that they can be assigned the same translation.
Model
Simplified representation of a system.
Modify (to)
To modify the characteristics of an object.
O
Object
Homogeneous family of information.
Object log
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Origin
File field which is linked to a layout field via the data flow.
P
Personalized graphical object
Graphical object created by customizing a basic graphical object's properties and which is used during the layout design of a Visual Adelia window.
Physical
The physical level is essentially used for data. It corresponds to the physical representation of the database.
Print (to)
To print the characteristics of an object.
Print list (to)
To print a list of objects.
Private
Qualifying an object which belongs to a single application area.
Produce (to)
Installation program manager: build an installation program (the actual creation of the program).
Documentation manager: create a documentation file (actual creation).
Production environment
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Program
Set of process operations resulting from the generation of a task at the physical level.
Program template
Standard sequencing of Adelia instructions.
Public
Qualifying an object which can be common to several application areas.
Q
Query base
Set of queries available for a future use.
R
Redundant
Qualifying a logical property coming from the conceptual level, and which is introduced by redundancy into a logical entity.
Redundant logical property
Property introduced by redundancy into a logical entity.
Relationship
Semantic link between several conceptual entities independent of all processing. Its existence is conditioned by the existence of several entities.
Remove (to)
To delete the authorities of a software engineer.
Rename (to)
To modify the name of an object.
Report
Report image which can be made up of several formats.
Report format
Set of consecutive lines to print under the same condition.
Report template
Set of characteristics common to the reports (positioning of fields, division into formats, etc).
Repository
Information system reference base. It groups together all the objects defined in the system.
Resequence (to)
To modify the order of an object's components.
Reserved word
Name used in the Adelia language to describe data proper to the system and that can be used in the 4GL of any program.
A reserved word is not part of the data environment.
A reserved word always begins with an asterisk ("*").
S
Screen format
Set of consecutive lines linked together by the processes they depend on.
Screen standard
Set of characteristics common to screen layouts (positioning of fields, display attributes, function key descriptions, etc.).
Software engineer
Person in charge of working with the application area(s) of an information system.
Split (to)
To de-merge several merged constants, so that they can be assigned different translations. See "Merge".
Storage
Stores the result of a maintenance manager or multisource search. This feature lets you archive the results of several searches.
T
Task
Elementary processing unit complying with the "3 units rule": place, action and time.
Transaction
Interactive processing only: a transaction is a screen image as seen by the user.
A screen layout can consist of several transactions.
A transaction can consist of several formats.
Transaction template
Set of characteristics common to transactions (screen size, function keys definition, division into formats, etc.).
V
Variant
Subset of an installation.
The same application can be installed differently in different circumstances (on a client machine, on a server machine, installation of one or more optional modules, etc.). In this case, you produce several variants of the same installation program.
Verify (to)
To check the semantics and the syntax of a program. This control halts the continuation of operations.
Version manager
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View
Specifies a source of data (file used) and a fill-in criterion to access this data.
Visibility
Allows the possibility of attaching an object to one or more application areas (public or private) to be defined.
W
Window (Adelia context)
Screen image that is superimposed on another screen image (transaction).
Window (Visual Adelia context)
Visual Adelia program layout.
Work with (to)
To display a list of objects on which actions are to be carried out.